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The cavern was deathly silent, save for the slow, deliberate breaths of the towering Sunless Dragon.
Nivran stood at the center of the chamber, his colossal frame illuminated by the dim, ethereal glow of the crystals embedded in the cavern walls.
His scales shimmered with an unnatural radiance, pulsing with the violent energy of [Sunless Rage].
The transformation had turned him into an unstoppable force, his body now larger than Alphox.
“Look at you, human,” Nivran rumbled, his voice like thunder crashing through the cavern. “Standing before me with nothing but a broken dragon and a few tricks. Do you truly believe you can win?”
Alphox stood a short distance away, his wings trembling with effort.
His injuries, sustained during an earlier clash, had left him unable to fully engage.
One wing had a giant hole in it, each movement sending a jolt of pain through his body.
Despite his primordial lineage and raw strength, he was at a clear disadvantage.
“I’ve fought demi-gods and demons in my time,” Alphox growled, his voice low and filled with resolve. “You’re neither.”
Even so, Alphox knew he couldn’t sustain a prolonged battle.
His role in this fight was limited, but he refused to stand idle. Drawing in a deep breath, he unleashed his [Eclipsing Roar].
The sound ripped through the cavern, a primal scream that shook the very stones and forced Nivran to hesitate.
For a fleeting moment, the Sunless Dragon faltered, his massive claws freezing mid-strike.
The roar’s effects rippled outward, reducing Nivran’s defenses and attacks, if only slightly.
[Eclipsing Roar: Enemies stunned for three seconds, attack and defense reduced by 20%.]
“Go now!” Alphox roared, his voice straining as he pushed through the pain.
Alex didn’t waste a second.
He darted forward, his lithe form a blur in the dim light.
Summoning his [Blood Blades], he willed several crimson weapons into existence.
They hovered around him, pulsating with a menacing aura, before shooting toward Nivran’s exposed underbelly.
The blades struck true, landing precise hits along the dragon’s softer scales.
-1,394,000!
-1,172,000!
The damage notifications appeared in Alex’s vision, but he gritted his teeth in frustration.
The glowing barrier of Nivran’s scales absorbed much of the force, reducing what could have been devastating strikes to mere scratches.
“Pathetic!” Nivran roared, recovering quickly from the effects of Alphox’s roar.
His massive tail swung in an arc, aiming to crush Alex.
Alex barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as the tail smashed into the ground with enough force to crack the stone beneath him.
Debris flew in every direction, peppering Alex’s armor and leaving shallow cuts along his arms and legs.
Though these weren’t enough to actually deal real damage even though Alex was a one HP.
“Think faster, human!” Alphox barked, summoning [Umbral Shield] just in time to block a follow-up strike aimed at Alex.
The shadowy barrier absorbed the blow, its surface rippling before returning a portion of the damage to Nivran.
[Umbral Shield: Absorbs all damage for three seconds and reflects 25% back to the attacker.]
-1,758,928!
The recoil made Nivran growl in irritation, but it wasn’t enough to slow him down.
The dragon’s molten eyes locked onto Alphox, recognizing the injured dragon as a threat despite his limited mobility.
“You’re more trouble than you’re worth,” Nivran snarled, rearing back to deliver a devastating blow.
Alphox braced himself, his body stiffening as he prepared for impact.
But even his primordial might wasn’t enough to withstand the sheer force of Nivran’s attack.
A powerful tail swipe sent Alphox crashing into the cavern wall, his body slumping to the ground with a deafening thud.
“Alphox!” Alex shouted, his voice tinged with panic as he launched a [Demonic Spear] at Nivran.
Unfortunately though, the enhanced dragon simply swung his tail, destroying the projectile before it could even reach him.
Seeing that, the primordial dragon let out a low groan, his wings twitching feebly.
“I’m… fine,” Alphox rasped, though the strain in his voice betrayed his words. “Focus on the fight. Don’t let him corner you.”
Alex’s grip tightened on his dagger.
The situation was growing more dire by the second.
Nivran’s HP bar, a seemingly insurmountable 60,000,000 as of now, was still up there.
His own resources were dwindling, his stamina waning and his [Blood Arts] draining his vitality with every attack.
“You’re alone now, human,” Nivran taunted, his voice echoing with dark amusement. “Your dragon ally is nothing more than a broken relic, your girlfriend is unconscious, and you’re nothing but an insect.”
Despite the taunts, Alex refused to back down.
His mind raced as he assessed his options.
None of his current abilities had the raw power needed to break through Nivran’s enhanced defenses.
His [Blood Blades] were effective against lesser foes, but against Nivran, they were barely making a dent.
His [Giant Blood Blade] on the other hand would take too much blood to create, Alex couldn’t afford to lose his one opportunity.
He clenched his fists, blood dripping from the countless wounds covering his body.
His vision blurred slightly, his body screaming for rest.
‘No… I can’t give up here.’
‘Think, Alex. Use what you have.’
Taking a deep breath, Alex closed his eyes, if his assassin strikes and spells weren’t doing anything, diving deep into the well of power that was his [Blood Arts] was his only option.
He reached further than he ever had before, pushing past the limits of what he thought was possible.
Suddenly, a new sensation coursed through him, a power he had never felt before.
When Alex opened his eyes, they glowed with an otherworldly crimson light.
The blood that dripped from his wounds didn’t pool on the ground.
Instead, it transformed into a swirling vapor, spreading rapidly throughout the cavern.
The mist thickened with every passing second, shrouding the battlefield in an eerie red haze.
Nivran’s head swung from side to side, his molten eyes narrowing in confusion. “What is this?” he growled. “You think hiding in smoke will save you?”
But the [Blood Mist] wasn’t ordinary.
It wasn’t just a visual obstruction, it was an extension of Alex’s will.
Within the mist, Alex moved unseen, his presence completely concealed from Nivran’s senses.
[Blood Arts Perk #4 Unlocked: Blood Mist]
[Description: Use your own blood to create a massive wall of mist where you can see better than anyone else inside of it, it uses a terrifying amount of blood though.]
He had used most of what he had left for this perk.
“You can’t fight what you can’t see,” Alex said, his voice echoing from all directions within the haze.
Nivran lashed out blindly, his massive claws and tail carving through the mist but finding nothing.
His roars of frustration filled the chamber, each one growing louder as his attacks failed to connect.
Alex, meanwhile, moved with precision.
Using the cover of the [Blood Mist], he darted around Nivran’s massive form, aiming for weak points along the dragon’s body.
His dagger, struck with surgical precision.
Clang! Cling! Clang!
Each strike chipped away at Nivran’s HP, the once-immense bar now dropping steadily.
Nivran roared in fury, his massive frame thrashing violently.
“I’ll destroy this entire cavern if I have to!” he bellowed, unleashing a shockwave in a desperate attempt to disperse the mist.
The force of the shockwave sent Alex tumbling backward, but he quickly regained his footing.
The [Blood Mist] began to thin, but it was still present, enough to keep Nivran disoriented.
‘This is my chance,’ Alex thought, his gaze locking onto a vulnerable spot on Nivran’s neck, a small gap in the otherwise impenetrable scales.
Summoning the last of his strength, Alex surged forward, his dagger glowing with a crimson light.
He leapt into the air, channeling everything he had into a final, decisive strike.
The blade sank deep into Nivran’s neck, piercing through the weak spot with devastating force.
[Weakness hit + Bleed: Causing 50% of damage!]
-70,000,000!
Nivran’s health plummeted to zero in an instant.
His massive body convulsed as blood poured from the fatal wound, his roars fading into a gurgling rasp.
With a final, shuddering breath, the Sunless Dragon collapsed.
The cavern fell silent once more.
The [Blood Mist] dissipated, revealing Alex standing amidst the wreckage.
His body was battered, his breathing ragged, but his eyes burned with triumph.
A notification appeared before him.
[You have defeated “Nivran, the Sunless Dragon” and gained 800,000,000 experience points!]